Laura McIntosh, George Motz, Michael Olson, Michael Specter To Moderate Discussions On Food Production, Popular Culture And Science At The Food Dialogues: Los Angeles, June 20-21
California Secretary of Agriculture Karen Ross and other leaders in entertainment, foodservice, academia and agriculture will take part in series of panel discussions

CHESTERFIELD, Mo., June 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Laura McIntosh, George Motz, Michael Olson and Michael Specter will moderate the U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance's Food Dialogues event entitled, "Lights, Camera, Food: Perceptions and Realities of Farming and Ranching in America," on June 20-21, 2012. Four separate discussions – held over two days – will bring together entertainment movers and shakers, chefs, academics, large restaurant operators, journalists, local leaders and farmers and ranchers for in-depth conversations about food. California Secretary of Agriculture, Karen Ross, has confirmed her participation as well.

George Motz, documentarian, host of Travel Channel's Made In America, and director of the Food Film Festival, will moderate Hollywood and "Vine": The Intersection of Pop Culture and Food Production,a live-streamed discussionabout the portrayal of food and agriculture in popular culture on Wednesday, June 20 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. PDT at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

Urban farm expert and host of the syndicated Saturday Food Chain radiotalk show, Michael Olson will moderate Meeting of the Minds: Touring Hollywood's Urban Farm, on Wednesday, June 20 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. PDT at Wattles Farm in Hollywood. This discussion, which will examine the role urban farms play in the communities where they operate, will be live-Tweeted and taped for future online broadcast.

Long-time The New Yorker journalist, and Denialism author, Michael Specter will lead a panel of leading scientists and academics, farmers and ranchers and thought leaders through a discussion about the role science and technology play in agriculture. University of California, Los Angeles provides a backdrop for the live-streamed event, The Great Debate: Science, Technology and Food, onThursday, June 21 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. PDT. Secretary Ross will also participate in this panel discussion.

Host and executive producer of Bringing it Home with Laura McIntosh, Laura McIntosh will moderate The REAL Chef Challenge: Understanding How Food is Grown and Raised atAnimal (restaurant). On Thursday, June 21 from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. PDT., farmers, ranchers, chefs, and others will discuss how food sourcing impacts how they grow, raise, buy and serve healthy choices for people everywhere. The event will be live-Tweeted and taped for future online broadcast.

"The involvement of such expertise sets the stage for dynamic and productive discussions at the events and online," said Bob Stallman, chairman of USFRA and president of the American Farm Bureau Federation. "We are both thrilled and honored to have Secretary Ross, Laura McIntosh, George Motz, Michael Olson and Michael Specter on board."

All panel discussions taking place at the event entitled, "Lights, Camera, Food: Perceptions and Realities of Farming and Ranching in America," will be available online (either live streamed or taped) at www.fooddialogues.com. Additionally, individuals with a Twitter account can follow all of the panel discussions by following @USFRA using #FoodD.

About The Food Dialogues

USFRA recognizes that Americans have important questions about our food and how it is produced. We have all become invested in knowing more about where our food comes from and how it was grown and raised – and how it impacts our personal health. USFRA helps farmers and ranchers answer consumers' and influencers' questions, including the tough ones, about food production.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Hollywood and "Vine": The Intersection of Pop Culture and Food Production Live-streamed (www.fooddialogues.com) 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. PDT.

Meeting of the Minds: Touring Hollywood's Urban Farm 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. PDT. Follow this panel discussion on Twitter @USFRA using #FoodD to participate in a live-Tweeting of the event activities as they happen. This event will be taped and content from the panel will be available in late June 2012.

The REAL Chef Challenge: Understanding How Food is Grown and Raised 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. PDT. Follow us on Twitter @USFRA using #FoodD to participate in a live-Tweeting of the event activities as they happen. This event will be taped and content from the panel will be available in late June 2012.

About U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance (USFRA)U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) is a newly formed alliance consisting of a wide range of prominent farmer- and rancher-led organizations and agricultural partners. This marks the first time agricultural groups at the national, regional and state levels have collaborated to lead the dialogue and answer Americans' questions about how we raise our food – while being stewards of the environment, responsibly caring for our animals and maintaining strong businesses and communities.

This press release was wholly or partially funded by one or more Checkoff programs.